Definition
The worldwide pattern of ocean circulation is governed by a balance of surface and deep and bottom currents.
Ocean Circulation
Ocean circulation is driven by the higher solar radiation at low latitudes compared to the radiation at high latitudes and the resulting differences in evaporation. The transport routes and the velocity of currents are determined by the Earth’s rotation, the atmospheric circulation, and the configuration of the ocean basins. The meridional heat and salt transfer by warm tropical and subtropical water is mostly confined to the western side of the ocean basins and cold-water flow towards the equator along the eastern side. A considerable part of the poleward warm-water flow at the surface is balanced by cold bottom water flowing towards the equator. At a global scale, this flow pattern is simplified by the salt conveyor belt or the thermohaline circulation (Fig. 1). On geological time scales, this circulation pattern considerably varied, mainly driven...
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Kudrass, H. (2015). General Ocean Circulation: Its Signals in the Sediments. In: Harff, J., Meschede, M., Petersen, S., Thiede, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Marine Geosciences. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6644-0_65-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6644-0_65-2
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General Ocean Circulation: Its Signals in the Sediments- Published:
- 29 January 2015
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6644-0_65-2
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General Ocean Circulation: Its Signals in the Sediments- Published:
- 30 December 2014
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6644-0_65-1